should i be satisfied with a 1/2 lb?

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jennor8or
jennor8or Posts: 204 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
soo... i see everyone with "4 lbs lost this week"... "1.5 lbs lost this week" etc... and i seem to be losing very little (this week .6 lbs)... i just adjusted to weighing only once a month (as this is the 1st of the month i weighed today which was only a week from my last weigh in) and doing my measurements every other week. my measurements are going down- so i'm making progress. my body is getting stronger, i'm feeling good. yet i can't help but focus a little on the scale. should i be satisfied with a measily 3 lbs per month if everything else is reducing as it should and fitness is improving as it should? or should i stop eating back ALL of my exercise calories (hey, i like to eat- its how i got here in the 1st place :p) ... i just want to do what is BEST for me... not whats fastest, not whats easiest...but what is BEST
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Replies

  • pammypk1
    pammypk1 Posts: 83 Member
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    as long as it is losing and not gaining its success! great job!:smile: and congrats!
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    Every half pound counts! I average between .5 and 1 pound lost, and I'm totally happy about it!
  • miadvh
    miadvh Posts: 290 Member
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    as long as it is losing and not gaining its success! great job!:smile: and congrats!

    YES! Any amount of weight lost is a success! You are THAT MUCH LIGHTER than you were before.
  • AlwaysSarah87
    AlwaysSarah87 Posts: 62
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    soo... i see everyone with "4 lbs lost this week"... "1.5 lbs lost this week" etc... and i seem to be losing very little (this week .6 lbs)... i just adjusted to weighing only once a month (as this is the 1st of the month i weighed today which was only a week from my last weigh in) and doing my measurements every other week. my measurements are going down- so i'm making progress. my body is getting stronger, i'm feeling good. yet i can't help but focus a little on the scale. should i be satisfied with a measily 3 lbs per month if everything else is reducing as it should and fitness is improving as it should? or should i stop eating back ALL of my exercise calories (hey, i like to eat- its how i got here in the 1st place :p) ... i just want to do what is BEST for me... not whats fastest, not whats easiest...but what is BEST

    Well it also says "since last weigh in" I for one weigh try to weigh in every TWO weeks so I am more satisfied with what the scales says. But I agree with everyone as long as you are losing then you are on the right track! It adds up!!! Keep it up!!
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    yes be happy with your progress and keep doing what you're doing :)
  • mamashatzie
    mamashatzie Posts: 238 Member
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    Half a pound is two sticks of butter. Imagine two sticks of butter coming off your stomach or your thighs or whatever! That's what I always do when I get down about a smaller loss.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    It depends on "who" you're comparing to, someone with 150lbs to lose has MORE to lose so they can ditch more in a week, when you're down to the last 10 -25 lbs or so you don't have near as much to lose so you should NEVER think you can lose as fast as those heavier....
  • MissMollieK
    MissMollieK Posts: 316 Member
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    think of that as 1/2 pound less you have to carry around on your body. slowly and surely you can do it. Maybe it will help to weigh yourself less- maybe 1 every 2 weeks or so and do more measurements with measuring tape. You may be gaining muscle and losing fat as well. Don't get discouraged, You are getting HEALTHIER no matter how much you lose as long as you are changing your lifestyle positively! Keep on doing what you are doing....just a quick suggestion---I've read a lot if you mix your routine up a bit, say if you are a runner and only run, but then try something like kickboxing or swimming- you may lose more just because you are sort of tricking the body to use other areas you normally don't. (I'm not an expert, just another person on a journey to a healthier lifestyle) Take care!
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
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    as long as it is losing and not gaining its success! great job!:smile: and congrats!


    Agree with this^

    If you're losing, you're still moving toward your goal.
    remember the tortoise & the hare?
    slow & steady wins the race?
    Keep it up, You CAN do it.
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    Half a pound is two sticks of butter. Imagine two sticks of butter coming off your stomach or your thighs or whatever! That's what I always do when I get down about a smaller loss.

    great way to look at it!!!!!!
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    seriously. no one loses 4 lbs/week regularly unless they have A HELLUVA LOT to lose.

    If you stop eating exercise calories it will bite you in the booty--you'll end up slowing the metabolism and your body fat will increase while your lean muscle decreases.

    get out your measuring tape once a month. Getting to goal and staying there is about patience and persistence. Nothing worth achieving happens fast.

    If you need any refreshers as to why you need to eat exercise calories now more than ever, check the 2nd page here:

    SHOULD I EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES .COM

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    blessings.
  • JULIEICAC
    JULIEICAC Posts: 16 Member
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    I hear you....I have only lost 3 lbs in 30 days, but like you I have lost inches, clothes fit better etc. It is hard not to obsess about that silly scale. I have just limited myself to one scale visit a day -first thing in the a.m. and then I focus more on how I will stay on track for the day food wise and how much further I can run, because this is what keeps me going! Just shift your focus to what you are doing and make that scale an afterthought!
  • ahadj
    ahadj Posts: 257 Member
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    I was thinking the same thing... I've been losing at an average rate of about 2.5 lbs per month, which seems impossibly slow, especially compared to others who are losing double that. But in the grand scheme of things, it adds up! And I'd rather be living a sustainable lifestyle (ie, allowing myself to indulge and go over cals sometimes, not working out like a maniac) than lose lots of weight quickly only to eventually gain it back.

    Keep on truckin'!
  • Frannswaz
    Frannswaz Posts: 172 Member
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    What I would say is ...YA-AY..about the weight loss so far..every bit helps.

    Maybe though since we tend to overestimate our exercise calories and underestimate our food calories you might consider not eating all of your exercise calories say only 70 -85% once you don't go below your baseline daily calorie goal.

    Just a thought!!

    Keep going!!:smile:
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
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    seriously. no one loses 4 lbs/week regularly unless they have A HELLUVA LOT to lose.

    If you stop eating exercise calories it will bite you in the booty--you'll end up slowing the metabolism and your body fat will increase while your lean muscle decreases.

    get out your measuring tape once a month. Getting to goal and staying there is about patience and persistence. Nothing worth achieving happens fast.

    If you need any refreshers as to why you need to eat exercise calories now more than ever, check the 2nd page here:

    SHOULD I EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES .COM

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    blessings.
    Ditto.
  • Twasney
    Twasney Posts: 186 Member
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    Half a pound is two sticks of butter. Imagine two sticks of butter coming off your stomach or your thighs or whatever! That's what I always do when I get down about a smaller loss.

    I like the way you think girl!!

    Be super proud of the fact that you are losing and not stuck and that you can see inches and toning!! In case you think your not doing well....go back and pull one of your heavy pics and compare! I bet you will be pleasantly suprised!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I don't have decimals on my scale. My last pound took 15 days to come off. I'm good with it. I don't feel like I'm "on a diet". I just live life, work out and try to eat a little less than I burn.

    Also, I eat all my exercise calories too! I eat between 1800 - 2500 a day. I also LOVE to eat.
  • h3h8m3
    h3h8m3 Posts: 455 Member
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    soo... i see everyone with "4 lbs lost this week"... "1.5 lbs lost this week" etc... and i seem to be losing very little (this week .6 lbs)... i just adjusted to weighing only once a month (as this is the 1st of the month i weighed today which was only a week from my last weigh in) and doing my measurements every other week. my measurements are going down- so i'm making progress. my body is getting stronger, i'm feeling good. yet i can't help but focus a little on the scale. should i be satisfied with a measily 3 lbs per month if everything else is reducing as it should and fitness is improving as it should? or should i stop eating back ALL of my exercise calories (hey, i like to eat- its how i got here in the 1st place :p) ... i just want to do what is BEST for me... not whats fastest, not whats easiest...but what is BEST

    A couple of things...

    1. You don't have nearly as much to lose as many of us. You look relatively fit already, so losing 4 pounds a week would not be healthy for you. I am one of those who loses a lot of weight per week, but I have a lot of weight to lose, and am not willing to wait several years to get to a healthy range.

    2. Your attitude of looking to do what is BEST is perfect. I do believe that, for you and your goals, are going to be BEST served by losing .5 pound a week. You're doing so well. Just try to ignore other people's goals and progress. What you're doing is perfect for you.
  • jennor8or
    jennor8or Posts: 204 Member
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    Thank you to everybody... I know i should be strong and just "know" that I'm doing whats best for me...but hey, if we were all like that then what good would this site be?? Thanks for the support and motivation !!!
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
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    Half a pound is two sticks of butter. Imagine two sticks of butter coming off your stomach or your thighs or whatever! That's what I always do when I get down about a smaller loss.

    Wow! That's so AWESOME! I had no idea about this :D

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